Battles and Sieges of the
Great Northern War
When the Great Northern War started in 1700 Sweden was the
dominant military power in north-eastern Europe, controlling most provinces
along the shores of the Baltic Sea. But it was a country with very limited
resources and incapable of defending its position if attacked by several
countries at once. Sweden's neighbours knew that and Denmark-Norway, Saxony
and Russia secretly formed a coalition and launched a surprise attack on
three fronts. At a later stage they were joined by Prussia and Hanover. But
despite the coalition members' optimistic expectations of quick gains, the
Swedish army led by Charles XII proved to be a formidable foe. This war that
eventually led to the end of Sweden's age of greatness also contained its
greatest moments. Almost always fighting against numerically superior armies
(usually at least two times greater) Sweden managed to win a series of great
battlefield victories at Narva, Düna, Kliszow, Fraustadt, Holowczyn,
Helsingborg and Gadebusch. But Sweden also suffered its most catastrophic
defeat ever at Poltava and the list of fortresses falling to the enemies
during the latter half of the war is very long. The growing power of Russia
proved too much and in the end it replaced Sweden as the dominant power in
the Baltic Sea region.
The following list of battles and sieges is a selection of
the most important events of the Great Northern War. All dates are according
to the contemporary Swedish calendar which differs from the Julian calendar
(Old Style) by one day until 1712 and from the Gregorian calendar (New Style)
with ten days until 1712 when the difference increased to eleven days. This
means that the battle of Narva is shown to have happened on 20 November,
even though the Gregorian calendar which we use today date it to 30 November
and the Russians who used the Julian calendar at the time date the battle to
19 November.
=
Denmark,
= Hanover, = Prussia,
= Russia,
= Saxony
Swedish victory |
Swedish defeat |
Pitched battle |
Seized fortress |
Naval battle |
|
Date (Swedish calendar) |
Name |
Swedish Commander |
Opponent |
Theatre of War |
1700 |
25 July |
Humlebæk |
Charles XII |
|
Denmark |
20 November |
Narva |
Charles XII |
|
Baltic provincies |
1701 |
9 July
|
Düna
|
Charles XII |
|
Baltic provincies |
5 September
|
Rauge |
W. A.
Schlippenbach |
|
Baltic provincies |
30 December
|
Erastfer
|
W. A.
Schlippenbach |
 |
Baltic provincies |
1702 |
9 July
|
Kliszow
|
Charles XII |
|
Poland |
19 July
|
Hummelshof
|
W. A.
Schlippenbach |
|
Baltic provincies |
13 October
|
Nöteborg |
G. V. Schlippenbach |
|
Baltic provincies |
1703 |
19 March
|
Saladen
|
Lewenhaupt |
|
Baltic provincies |
21 April
|
Pultusk |
Charles XII |
|
Poland |
2 May |
Nyenskans |
Apolloff |
|
Baltic provincies |
9 July |
Systerbäck |
Cronhjort |
|
Finland |
15 May-4 October |
Thorn |
Charles XII |
|
Poland |
1704 |
16 June |
Wesenberg |
W. A.
Schlippenbach |
|
Baltic provincies |
4 June-13 July |
Dorpat |
Skytte |
|
Baltic provincies |
26 July
|
Jakobstadt
|
Lewenhaupt |
 |
Baltic provincies |
27 June-9 August |
Narva |
Horn |
|
Baltic provincies |
9 August |
Posen |
Meijerfeldt |
|
Poland |
28 October |
Punitz |
Charles XII |
|
Poland |
1705 |
16 July |
Gemäuerthof |
Lewenhaupt |
|
Baltic provincies |
21 July |
Warszawa |
Nieroth |
|
Poland |
1706 |
15 January |
Grodno |
Charles XII |
|
Belarus |
3 February |
Fraustadt |
Rehnsköld |
 |
Poland |
19 October
|
Kalisz
|
Mardefelt |
 |
Poland |
1708 |
4 July
|
Holowczyn
|
Charles XII |
|
Belarus
Belarus
Belarus |
31 August
|
Malatitze |
Roos |
|
10 September
|
Rajovka |
Charles XII |
|
29 September
|
Ljesna
|
Lewenhaupt |
|
Belarus |
1709 |
7 January |
Veprik |
Charles XII |
|
Ukraine |
28 June
|
Poltava
|
Rehnsköld |
|
Ukraine |
1710 |
28 February
|
Helsingborg
|
Stenbock |
|
Sweden |
13 June |
Viborg |
Stiernstråle |
|
Finland |
1 February-11 July |
Riga |
Stromberg |
|
Baltic provincies |
12 August |
Pernau |
Schwengeln |
|
Baltic provincies |
9 September |
Kexholm |
Stiernschantz |
|
Finland |
24-27 September |
Köge bukt |
Wachtmeister |
|
Denmark |
29 September |
Reval |
|
|
Baltic provincies |
1711 |
10 July |
Prut |
- |
|
Moldavia |
4 December |
Wismar |
Schoultz |
 |
Germany |
1712 |
August
|
Stade
|
Stackelberg |
|
Germany |
9 December |
Gadebusch |
Stenbock |
 |
Germany |
1713 |
5 May
|
Tönningen
|
Stenbock |
 |
Denmark |
6 October
|
Pälkäne |
Armfelt |
|
Finland |
1714 |
19 February |
Storkyro |
Armfelt |
|
Finland |
27 July |
Hangöudd |
Wattrang |
|
Finland |
29 July |
Nyslott |
Busch |
|
Finland |
1715 |
13 April |
Femer bält |
Wachtmeister |
|
Germany |
28 July |
Rügen |
Sparre |
|
Germany |
5 November |
Stresow |
Charles XII |
 |
Germany |
22 December |
Stralsund |
Charles XII |
 |
Germany |
1716 |
24 February |
Kajaneborg |
|
|
Finland |
8 April |
Wismar |
|
 |
Germany |
8 July |
Dynekilen |
Strömstierna |
|
Sweden |
1717 |
8 July |
Strömstad |
Giertta |
|
Sweden |
1719 |
15 July |
Marstrand |
|
|
Sweden |
13 August |
Stäket |
Dahlheim/Fuchs |
|
Sweden |
1720 |
27 July |
Ledsund |
Siöblad |
|
Finland |
|